Folding bed



Aug. 23, 1938. l. E.$KIDMORE 2,128,018

FOLDING BED v Fild Jun 18, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .INVENTOR I. E. Sic z'dzn are ATTORNEY Aug. 23, 1938. SKIDMORE 2,128,018

FOLDING BED Fi led June l8, 19;? 1 5 Sheets-Sheet s 3 7 i I l' INVENTOR I. E. Sleds/1720112 ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFic-E FOLDING BED Isaac E'. skialheie, Fair Oaks, Calif. I Application June'18, 1937, Serial No. 148,882 1 Claim. (01. -414),

This invention relates generally to the'structure of a bed and in particular is directed toa fold ing bed. Heretofore folding beds, particularly the double bed type, have been so arranged that when folded, the resultant bundle was not only bulky and difficult to handle but of too great length for ready storage or transportation.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a folding full-sized bed which, when folded, will form a relatively short parcel and one of minimum width and depth; the device thereby being very convenient for use by campers and the like as it is compact and occupies little space.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a folding bed which is so constructed that when unfolded for use it will be quite rigid and sturdy as well as having a comfortable body supporting spring unit.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan of the bed as unfolded, the spring unit only being shown in part.

Figure 2 is a top plan of the bed frame partly folded in a horizontal direction.

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of

' the bed frame but with one leg folded.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the bed frame illustrating the end sections of the side frames in partially folded position, the full folded position being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, partly sectional elevation of one of the hinges and cooperating spring latch as connected between adjacent ends of two end frame sections.

Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary section on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, with the adjacent portion of the spring unit mounted thereon.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the device comprises a frame, rectangular in plan when unfolded, having end portions and side portions; the end portions each'including a pair of normally alined end sections I while the side portions each include a pair of normally alined but spaced side sections 2 and a central section 3 therebetween. The sections [-3 inclusive are constructed preferably of angle iron.

The end sections I abut and are hinged together at adjacent ends, as at 4, for inward folding movement in a horizontal plane, while the outer ends of said sections are similarly hinged as at 5' in connection with the adjacent outer ends of side sections 2'. The sections 1 at adjacent ends are provided with stop flanges 6 which engage in face to face relation when the sections are alined. A spring catch 1 releasably holds the flanges together (as particularly shown in Fig. 5) and prevents accidental folding of the sections I.

The spaced side sections 2 and central section 3 which make up each side portion of the bed frame overlap at adjacent ends and are hinged together as at 8 and 9 for downward folding movement in a vertical plane, the sections 2 folding inward against the section 3. The hinges 8 and 9 are on different levels in order that one section 2 may be parallel with the other and without binding when the sections are folded together as indicated in Fig. 4. Suitable flanges 10 may be used to prevent sagging of thesections adjacent their hinged ends.

The bed frame is-supported on legs II which are pivoted to sections 2 close to the outer ends thereof, said legs being normally held in vertical position by foldable braces I2 extending angularly from the legs intermediate their ends to the side sections inwardly of the leg pivots.

To take some of the binding strain off the pivot pins of the legs, and aid in preventing inward deflection of the legs, rigid lugs L overhang the inner faces of the legs below their pivots.

The spring unit for the bed comprises a pair of flat end rail units l3, hinged at spaced points I3a for vertical folding movement. Each unit is substantially the same length as a pair of end frame sections l, and each rail unit has a plurality of tension springs. I4 connected thereto along one edge. Light chains extend between corresponding springs and cross wires l6 maintain the chains in parallelism. Each end rail unit 13 normally rests on one end portion of the bed frame and is formed with a plurality of spaced holes l1, pins [8 mounted on and projecting upward from the end portions of the bed frame removably engaging in said holes. By securing the rails to the end portions of the bed frame, the spring unit cannot collapse and the end portions of the bed frame are prevented from accidentally folding inward should either spring catch 1 be undone.

At one end of the bed, each section |.is provided, on the outer face thereof, with a pair of fixed vertical socket members l9 arranged to receive corresponding right angle securing pins 20 which project from one side of pillow rests 2|.

To fold the bed from its normal position when in use, the pillow rests are first removed and then the spring unit detached by removing rails 13 from engagement with pins l8. The outer hinged portions of the rails l3 and attached springs, etc., are folded over the center portion and as so folded, the spring unit is rolled up from one end.

To fold the bed frame the legs II are released and swung upward against the side sections 2. The spring catches I are released and the end sections folded horizontally inwardly and, lastly, the side sections 2 and attached end sections l are folded vertically onto the center sections 2, such latter folding resulting in a material reduction in length of the bundle. As so folded, the bed frame forms a short, compact bundle of minimum width and depth and therefore one easy to handle and transport from place to place. The end sections I are of substantially the same length as, and in any event no longer than, side sections 2 and thus, when the end sections are folded inward they do not project beyond the inner ends of the side sections which, of course, would be undesirable.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a folding bed, a frame including end portions, said portions each comprising a plurality of sections disposed in end to end relation and hinged together for folding movement in a horizontal plane, and a removable spring unit for the bed; said unit including end rails each adapted to be disposed on the one end portion of the bed frame, the end rails each comprising a plurality of rail sections hinged together for folding movement in a vertical plane, and means to removably secure the end rails on the end portions of the frame when both are unfolded and to then prevent accidental folding of either.

ISAAC E. SKIDMORE. 

